Kimberly Grace Bowman, Official Fan Reporter

CHANGING TIMESNovember 30/15And it comes to a close. The 2015 season…and Michael Waltrip Racing, bringing David Ragan’s season tenure with them to an ultimate close. And while the spotlight was intense upon the four drivers who earned their way into the Championship race a little over one week ago at Homestead, perhaps one driver’s role in the career of our now reigning champion should be considered.

Each Championship contender for the 2015 Sprint Cup series had a story to tell. Each one had something to their credit that added to the legacy that is their career as a driver in the top tier of their sport. Kevin Harvick was a defending champion. Martin Truex, Jr., was the underdog who had definitely climbed the difficult ladder to successfully vie for the series trophy. Jeff Gordon as we all know ran his final Sprint Cup series race when the green flag waved over the start/finish line of Homestead. He is a legend to the sport. A veteran. A well-respected racer who has earned his stripes and had one final chance to secure the title on the highest level of Nascar. And lastly, there is Kyle Busch whose struggles at the beginning of this year’s Nascar season didn’t offer very much hope for the driver who had yet to gain a Sprint Cup series trophy in all of his career so far. Yet all four of these drivers found themselves as the final four who secured their positions in the finale race after a rain-shortened race in the desert at Phoenix ensured who would and would not move on to the final single-race round.

Kyle Busch’s road to recovery after his horrific Xfinity series wreck at the season opening race has become nothing short of a miracle and a grand display of will and determination on Busch’s part. After three months sidelined, Busch came back with a fury to win several Sprint Cup races and make it into the Chase…only to find himself in the final four nine races later. And perhaps part of the credit is due to those who rallied around the tenacious driver in his time away from the sport he loves. And one name comes to mind…David Ragan…who filled in for the recovering driver for an extended period of time as Busch awaited the day he could finally step back into the no. 18 car.

Ragan’s tenure in the no. 18 was not without its tumultuous moments. But he grew, stretched a bit, expanded his reach with another team, and kept the car on the track for the recovering Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Many Nascar fans have expressed their displeasure that Nascar allowed Busch to be eligible to compete for the Championship since the driver missed so many races. And to that I say that Nascar made at least one right decision this year when they allowed Busch to still compete for the Cup. I can just imagine being in Busch’s shoes those months while forced to watch the races from home while everything within you longs to be in that racecar, yet you can’t…and don’t even know if you ever will again. It’s not as if Busch decided to take a Hawaiian vacation. He was injured. And he got back in the car as soon as he was given the go ahead. He could have forfeited the year in light of the surgeries he still would have to face and the pains that may have affected him. But no, he let the incident strengthen him and make him stronger. This heart decision I believe was well worth the trophy in and of itself. It is one of the greatest displays, showing the world what a true racer’s heart is like. And it inspires me, showing me once again why Nascar is one of the greatest sports of our time. And just maybe…perhaps a bit of the 2015 champion’s trophy belongs to David Ragan for his dedication to helping keep the no. 18 on track through those very uncertain months before he moved on to finish out the 2015 season with MWR in the no. 55.

David Ragan’s overall 2015 statistics include a highest finish of fifth with JGR in the no. 18 at the first Martinsville race of the season. His lowest finish overall was 41st at the spring Bristol and Charlotte races and New Hampshire in the fall. David’s highest starting position was third at both Loudon and Indianapolis in the no. 55 during the second half of the season. His lowest starting position for 2015 was 38th at Homestead for the finale race. Overall, his average starting position comes to 17.2 for the 2015 season.

No announcement has been made so far regarding where David Ragan will be racing for the 2016 season, following the announcement that MWR was dismantling after 2015. With the experience and exposure gained from time with other teams as substitute driver this year, I believe Ragan will be well-equipped to step into and take on whatever opportunities may come his way in the near future. I hope all the best for the talented driver in 2016. It has been a pleasure to report on him for my rookie year at Nascar Female, and I look forward to transitioning to a new season as OFR for the iconic no. 24 and Chase Elliott for the 2016 Nascar Sprint Cup series season.

September 2/15A replacement driver never gets the best reputation. This is probably due to the fact that they never finish well. Or at least that’s the norm. It’s a new team. A new driver. New relationships. New crew chief. New everything. And after their short tenure, they return to their own team in a puff of smoke and leave simply a record that says, “They survived.”

David Ragan’s 2015 season has been full of ups and downs that would challenge even a veteran driver. And David being no rookie, has proven himself to have the talent more than once. So far this season, David has piloted two racecars besides his own. March 1, 2015, David stepped into Kyle Busch’s no. 18 after Busch’s devastating accident at Daytona in February sidelined him for what would become a little over three months. No timetable for Busch’s return was known by anyone. David could be in the no. 18 for one month or even for the rest of the year. It was all a matter of patience and determination as Ragan completed those three months of races, gaining both high and low finishes while managing to help keep the no. 18 team above water despite the incident that none of them expected.

As a driver, you can just imagine the pressure one can feel as they go week by week with the uncertainty of what the future holds no matter what team you’re on. And as a replacement driver, you have to have a good foundation, talent, and a steady confidence to bend and learn as you go. It can’t be easy.

As Busch’s return was announced when May came around, it was also revealed that Brian Vickers would be sidelined for the foreseeable future yet again. I will admit…I don’t understand how David Ragan has suddenly become the go-to replacement driver. But I will also admit…It is an excellent opportunity for him! It has done great things for him so far and has been able to give him exposure where he has lacked in seasons past. Yet an uncertain future awaits him.

David’s tenure in the no. 55 has been filled with ups and downs and much success also. He has proven himself as a worthy driver. In his fourteen starts with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2015, David Ragan has garnered the best qualifying position of 3rd at Kansas, New Hampshire, and the Brickyard and has a highest finish of 12th at Daytona. He has also managed to lead laps and contend for high position in the top five throughout the past weeks. No tenure is without its down points as was proven in this past race at Bristol with a finish of 40th place after a three-wide battle with Jimmie Johnson and teammate Clint Bowyer sandwiched him right into a spin off of turn four. Nevertheless, David Ragan is a talented driver. But has he gotten a bad deal at MWR?

Upon leaving Front Row to aid Joe Gibbs and now Michael Waltrip, all that has been in David’s future is the opportunity to continue with MWR for as long as he is needed. Although nothing was confirmed, rumors certainly did abound as to what 2016 would hold. Yet Ragan made it clear that he focuses week to week on simply being the best driver he can be. And in doing so, he has proven himself a worthy contender. Yet with the announcement of MWR’s dismantling after the 2015 season, where does that leave David Ragan? Should MWR have taken him on if they had even the slightest thought that MWR would be no more in the near future? I do understand the reality of needing to keep a driver in the car when your main driver isn’t able to. But does it give a driver false hope somewhat? Would it have been better to bring another up and coming driver from another series to gain experience instead of leading a rather experienced driver into a dead end? And now we have yet to learn of where David Ragan will be competing in 2016. I certainly hope he gets a good deal. He’s a good racer who deserves better.

Coming into the second to last race before the Chase at Darlington this weekend, David Ragan has not been very strong here in the past with only one top-five finish and an average finish in mid-field. But we shall see if David’s talent combined with his team at MWR might arrange for a great finish by the no. 55 team. And hopefully it won’t be long before Ragan receives a good opportunity for 2016.

"I am grateful for the opportunity thatMichael Waltrip Racingand Toyota have provided me this year. I have worked hard to be a good teammate and spokesperson for all of our sponsors, and as a team we have collectively improved our performance from the beginning of the season. I look forward to staying focused and trying to win a race this season for Aaron's and everyone at MWR….Going forward I will be working hard to secure a full-time ride in theSprint Cup Series. At 29 years old, I feel my best years are in front of me." - David Ragan (from statement released August 19, 2015)

The Final StretchMay 3/15 Rain delays. They’re never fun. But somehow they add to the nostalgia that is a wonderful day in the life of NASCAR racing. From the drivers getting to spend more time with their families to the shenanigans the viewers at home get to witness, there’s just something about rain delays that I like. Not to mention that nine times out of ten, the races that take place after rain delays are usually action packed and full of surprises. I mean, what do you expect when you tell forty three drivers, filled with adrenaline, to go sit and wait for four hours? They are ready to race when that green flag waves! And this is exactly the conditions that set up the perfect atmosphere for surprise results at Talladega just two short years ago.

At Talladega, anything can happen. Talladega is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit…and not just because it is my home track. But when Talladega nears, you know for sure that there will never be a dull moment in all of the 500 miles.

On May 3, 2013, after a long rain delay and the course of an intense race that saw five cautions with two of them being “big ones”, all eyes looked to the sky. Darkness was imminent. Talladega has no lights overlooking the biggest oval track in NASCAR that usually only sees daytime races. With the pressure on, NASCAR makes the decision to only have one attempt at the green-white-checkered finish. After the second “big one” is cleaned up, there remains only two laps to go with Carl Edwards leading them to the green flag. This is it. One chance. One GWC. One winner.

As Carl Edwards leads Kenseth and Johnson into the final restart, Almirola moves swiftly to the top followed closely by a tight knit tandem that included Matt Kenseth, David Ragan, and David Gilliland. Coming to the turn, Ragan noses Kenseth from behind as the field continues to shuffle. Then without warning, a path splits open between Edwards and Kenseth up high and Johnson down low. Gilliland immediately gets into the draft with his teammate right through that opening as the final lap is quickly closing. With the final stretch just ahead, Ragan bumps with Edwards only slightly as Gilliland and Ragan’s lead is challenged by the 48, 55, and 99 up high. At the last minute, Ragan moves up in front of the 99 and excels forward by several car links, capturing the checkered flag as the sun quickly sets on the speedway.

David Ragan’s win at Talladega in 2013 was a defining moment in his career to be sure. He earned it. To win at Talladega, it takes skill, level headed thinking, and divine assistance. I truly believe that David had all three on May 3 two years ago. And I don’t believe it’s the last win for him by any means.

When the checkered flag waves today, David Ragan’s replacement for Kyle Busch in the no. 18 will have come to a close. And with this closure, David will transfer to the no. 55 to replace Brian Vickers who, like Kyle Busch, does not yet have an exact time frame of return. The announcement came just this week that Michael Waltrip Racing was recruiting Ragan to drive the no. 55, starting at Kansas. With this change set in place, Erik Jones will begin filling in for Kyle Busch while Chris Buescher is set to substitute for David Ragan in the no. 34 once again this weekend at Talladega. It has yet to be announced who will take over in the no. 34 beyond this upcoming weekend at Talladega.

Coming away from the past nine races with Joe Gibbs Racing in the no. 18, David Ragan has much to be proud about. As a replacement driver, much pressure is usually put on that driver to excel and do just as good as the team’s original driver. But not letting this pressure get to him, David remained conservative while pressing onward to get good finishes for the no. 18, whenever possible. The first few weeks was a bit of a struggle, and not every single week was perfect. But David did his best and most likely learned much, from this larger team, along the way that he will be able to take with him as he moves to the no. 55 and eventually back to the no. 34 with Front Row Motorsports. Within the past nine races, David comes out with a highest qualifying position of 4th at Auto Club and a highest race finish of 5th at Martinsville. Not bad at all.

Going into Talladega, placing predictions is almost impossible. David Ragan has proven he has the skill to win at restrictor plate races. Races such as Daytona and Talladega are definitely one of his strong points. For today’s event, David will start in the ninth position with Jeff Gordon on the pole. In practice for Talladega, he was 5th in the first session and 7th in the second session.

Learning as much as possible and growing as a driver and team has been the strategy since the beginning of the season. As David Ragan completes his run in the no. 18 this Sunday, I hope nothing but the best for him. He has the talent, the excellent track record, and the knowledge to do well as he continues what has become a very eventful season for him, so far. Talladega is unpredictable. But all skepticism aside, I look forward to seeing David Ragan’s performance today.

(A short apology for my absence. I have been on the mend health wise, but am back with a new article for this weekend!)March 19/15 So far, David Ragan has completed three races as the official replacement driver for Kyle Busch in the no. 18. The conservative strategy of the team has awarded a rough beginning but thankfully there has been no accident involvements for the 18 so far. David began the Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 at Atlanta quite well. Beginning 12th, Ragan gained seven spots in a short amount of time and by lap 30, he restarted in fifth after a caution. Regretfully though, he fell back to 16th by lap 120 and ended up going a lap down by lap 170. Finishing 18th and two laps down, David brought the 18 car to the start/finish line in one piece and ready to move westward to Las Vegas. Qualifying 13th for the Kobalt 400, the weekend was off to a great start. But upon crashing in practice, they were forced to start in the rear after going to a backup car. During the race, David gained position as much as possible while avoiding trouble. Although finishing two laps down, the 18 secured 22nd as they came to the checkered flag. With experience gained, the 18 came into the desert duel confidently having qualified 13th. The Camping World.com 500 resulted in some of the best numbers for the 18 team so far with David behind the wheel. The best result may be that they finished on the lead lap at Phoenix…a rather small intermediate track.

Coming away from Phoenix finishing 21st and on the lead lap, it is clear that the 18 has great potential to do well in the coming weeks. I believe each week affords David with more experience and a better handle on driving for a larger team. With no clear word on when Kyle Busch will return to the 18, there must be a slight amount of pressure surrounding David to finish well and “go get em” like is often Busch’s strategy. While Ragan’s perspective is a bit more conservative, I wouldn’t count the 18 out just yet. Although the numbers haven’t been the most pristine these past weeks, I believe they are showing just how good a team can be when thrown into a situation that the 18 has. They’ve avoided wrecks, gained position, qualified well, avoided penalties, and have stayed midfield for most of the race. Although the numbers aren’t winning awards right now so to speak, they show that David is doing his best and learning more while the 18 team is doing well to cooperate with a new driver they’ve never worked with. It’s a situation that no one expected. And I think the team has much potential in the weeks to come.

That said, talk has begun about Kyle Busch’s recent Fontana reign. It’s true. Kyle Busch has won several races at Fontana. Last year at Fontana, David Ragan finished 27th. While I don’t believe that David is putting any extra pressure on himself due to Kyle’s good statistics at Fontana, I believe it may help to boost confidence.

Perhaps past strategy by the 18, coupled with David’s good driving, will be able to give David a top ten finish or better at Fontana this weekend.

Feb 28/15 Starting 28th this past Sunday in the inaugural race of the season, David Ragan’s team strategy remained conservative…avoid “the big one” and gain as many places as possible from their position just behind the mid pack which is usually the place for trouble if anyone should happen to spin while in the draft. Personally, I really like the restrictor plate races. Talladega, a restrictor plate race, is my home track, so to speak, and also one of my favorites because there is never a dull moment! Races at tracks with pack racing brings to life the epitome of heart pumping racing that we all enjoy. And in just the right conditions, underdogs turn to dark horses in a series of events that leads to a very miraculous win for that unsung hero…It was this same situation that afforded David his second career win in the Sprint Cup series a couple seasons ago at Talladega. Throughout David’s career, he has really shined at these types of races. Although David did not capture the checkered flag in this week’s race, their strategy paid itself forward in the end when “the big one” did happen on the last lap, launching him from 28th to 17th place to finish the great American race.

Going away from the first race of the season with confidence, it is clear that David has tremendous talent and has proven himself in the top tier of motorsports. In my opinion, he has the potential to be fighting for a championship not just back of the pack track position. But being a part of a smaller team, there is only so much a low budget team can do to compete with the best of the best in the sport. That said, a shock wave has since reverberated through NASCAR as it was announced that David will be stepping in to substitute for Kyle Busch in the no. 18 while he recovers from a brutal injury brought on by a collision with a non safer barrier wall at Daytona in this past Saturday’s first Xfinity series race. It was a pleasant surprise to me. I had definitely not expected it! But I look forward to seeing David run at Atlanta this weekend in the 18. Although this is certainly not a guarantee, I believe that David’s talent matched with a championship level team has a strong chance to succeed. Meanwhile, it has been announced that Joe Nemechek will drive the #34 in Ragan’s absence at Front Row Motorsports for the Atlanta race. David will return to FRM once Kyle Busch returns to the no. 18. Beyond this weekend, a replacement driver for Ragan has not been announced. As of this time, a date of Busch’s return remains uncertain.

As stated in Thursday’s press conference, David’s desire is to count this experience, coming into Atlanta and beyond, as a learning curve and a chance to take valuable experience and information back to the no. 34 and continue to be the best driver out there that he can be in order to go out and win races with FRM, upon Kyle Busch’s return. His team at FRM has faced the fact that running a team without full season sponsorship is difficult. And as a driver, this is a great opportunity to broaden his reach in the sport and glean much from a team that has far more resources and experts at their reach.

Last year, David finished 27th at Atlanta. Perhaps he can take home a top ten or better for Kyle Busch this Sunday. For it would surely make a great get well soon present for the recovering race car driver. Get well soon, Kyle! And good luck to David Ragan as he gets into the no. 18 JGR M&MS Toyota for 500 exciting miles at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Feb 22/15 Front Row Motorsports, although still somewhat of a fledgling team, has encountered growth and a miraculous victory in that of David Ragan’s astonishing rise to Victory Lane during the Aarons 499 spring Talladega race in 2013. Yes, I was cheering rather obviously during this win. So far, David has two wins in the Sprint Cup series with one of these wins being with Front Row Motorsports. Although he has yet to secure a third win, I truly believe that he has potential to reach Victory Lane again.

This new 2015 season will mark David Ragan’s fourth full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup series season with Front Row Motorsports. David closed his 2014 season with a thirty place finish at Homestead and secured a highest race finish of tenth at the autumn Martinsville race. Coming into this brand new season, David Ragan victoriously clenched a spot in the 2015 Daytona 500 as he secured fourteenth place finish in the second Budweiser Duel. It was a close call for most of the race and had me on edge for sure! After a spin caused by brief contact with Justin Allgaier’s front bumper, David’s hopes for qualifying for the great American race grew dim. But he rebounded, and will roll out 28th come Sunday for the 2015 Daytona 500 led by pole sitter Jeff Gordon.

My! It seems that the 2014 season just began! The offseason passed by so quickly, and now we find ourselves at the dawn of a new season. Many changes have been made that are exciting, sad, and intriguing all rolled into one. New faces…New cars…New year…A clean slate…and a chance to make history is set before many drivers in all three series. David Ragan’s Talladega win proved that anything is possible. It’s not over until the checkered flag waves. Many drivers have a vivid reality of this fact. And while the spotlight may not be on David on a regular basis, rest assured…the best is yet to come.

Lastly, I look forward to following the season eagerly with you all and seeing exciting moments unfold as I bring you up to date each week. It is truly an honor. Here’s to a wonderful 2015 NASCAR season!

Feb 8/15 A recent homeschooling graduate, Kimberly is currently working towards becoming a published Christian fiction novelist. In previous years, she has written for the headlining Christian publication Mississippi Christian Living since 2012, accomplishing a junior feature article in 2012.

Kimberly has been a NASCAR fan for several ongoing years. Her dad being a long time racing fan, Kimberly was introduced to the need for speed early on as the television was often on the race come Sunday afternoons. NASCAR has since become her favorite sport and the only sport she strongly supports.

In recent years, Kimberly has desired to support drivers with strong moral character and a desire to succeed with class. Although a proud supporter of several talented drivers, Kimberly is thrilled to show her continuing support for class act driver David Ragan and represent him here this year!

Outside of racing, Kimberly writes Christian fiction novels, blogs at multiple sites she began, enjoys and supports wholesome entertainment, and stays active in social media. She is also a proud Heartie.

Her favorite part of racing is the thrilling excitement of fired up engines, burning rubber, heart pounding restarts, the comradery, and overall uniqueness that makes up the best sport ever…NASCAR.